When All You Wanna Do is Write

I have kids, and I love being a mommy. I love waking up in the morning to their happy faces, sitting down with them at the breakfast table and planning out all the fun things the three of us can do together while Daddy is at work. We do crafts and bake cookies and cakes together, we go to the park and meet up with friends for morning play dates. Every single day is jam-packed with a buzz of constant activity, and sometimes that makes it really hard to find time to sit down and write when inspiration strikes.

I can't exactly stop everything I'm doing when one of my talkative characters starts whispering in my ear while I'm chasing kids around the monkey bars. Sometimes those fleeting moments of inspiration disappear before I even get a chance to jot the idea down on a slip of paper for later reference, but I wouldn't give that precious time with my kids up for anything.

These are the most amazing years, watching your babies grow and learn, and I don't want to take a single moment for granted.

On the other hand, sometimes that urge to write is just so overpowering that there's a part of me inside that wishes I could clone myself just so I could do it all.

Does anyone else go through this? How do you handle juggling your career, whether it be as a writer or in another field, with your family life without feeling like you're doing some part of yourself a grave injustice?

Right now I'm relishing in the silent house, listening to the kitties chase each other around the kitchen. My boys are napping soundly and for the first time all day I have a moment to myself. I should be writing; I know that, but right now I'm just happy to have a chance to sit down, relax and listen to those chattering characters all bartering for a moment in the spotlight.

Ooh, and for those who appreciate the beauty of m/m eroticism, this is my inspirational picture of the day: